Eligible Applicants:

• Northwestern University undergraduates who have already received an Office of Undergraduate Research Academic Year URG.
• Only undergraduates in the following schools are eligible: Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, McCormick School of Engineering, School of Communications, School of Education and Social Policy, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, Northwestern University in Qatar, and the School of Professional Studies.
• Since this program is a cost share with the student’s school, the Advanced project must be in the subject area of that school, i.e. a Medill student must be doing a journalism project. 

Ineligible Applicants:

• Undergraduates at other institutions.
• Northwestern students who have not received an Office of Undergraduate Research Academic Year URG (AYURG). Learn more about AYURGs here.
• Seniors applying to conduct projects after graduation.
• Undergraduate students in Bienen School of Music.

To receive the Academic Year URG, the student must take an independent study or honors thesis course during the academic year in which they receive the grant. It is not required that the student register for the course before submitting their proposal, but they should plan their course load to accommodate it.

Many students ask our office what it entails to complete a research independent study. Essentially, when you enroll in an independent study course, the time you would typically spend in class or doing homework will be spent actively working on your research project. Independent studies can occur in your major/minor (they often satisfy upper level elective requirements, and they can help you progress towards an honors thesis), or they can occur in a department more closely aligned with your faculty mentor’s area of study (if this is not the same as your major/minor). Many research projects are interdisciplinary and could work as independent studies in more than one department.

To enroll in an independent study, you need to look at what the department requirements are. Every department has their own ways of handling it– the course numbers vary as well as eligibility requirements (some are restricted to juniors or seniors), who can serve as the faculty “teacher” for the course (sometimes it has to be a faculty member affiliated with the department), and expectations for completing the course. If you want to know what it looks like for your department, we recommend googling “independent study” AND “northwestern” AND “department name”, and you should also talk to the department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). Typically, enrollment in these kinds of courses requires approval from the DUS, and you need to submit paperwork to describe what kind of work you will be completing through the independent study.

Up to $1000 to cover research expenses on our own research project, to be conducted during the academic year. The project does not have to be a year-long project, and you can propose projects that take place over the Winter or Spring break.

Research expenses can be any costs associated with the research: lab materials, travel to archives or field sites, study participant compensation, or something else – you decide. If you travel internationally, you can request up to 50% of your airfare in addition to the $1000.

While your project may relate to a faculty member’s research, or develop from work within a lab, you must design and execute the project independently. You faculty member provides advisory assistance.

Projects take place within an independent study or a thesis seminar (398 or 399). Please note that a URG proposal will not be the same as your thesis proposal. You will be writing for a new audience – the URG Review Committee. You can meet with a URG advisor to learn how to make these types of revisions.

Your application will include a budget. You won’t have to turn in receipts (keep them in case we ask). You can have your grant paid directly to your lab/department if they will be purchasing all of the materials needed.

Applications center on a two-page research grant proposal and we have many resources, including one-on-one advising, to help teach you this new skill:

Proposal Writing

Advising Request

Research involving any kind of interaction with living people (Human Subjects) will require additional steps, so plan ahead to make sure you have enough time between hearing back from the review committee, completing the Human Subjects requirements, and the proposed start date of your project.  You will also want to consider the ethical implications of your project, so please review these Principles of Ethical Research.

Once a project is approved for funding, major changes need the approval of the faculty sponsor and the Office of Undergraduate Research. Unapproved changes may result in a breach of the terms of the grant, including repayment of grant funds.  Check with the Office of Undergraduate Research with any questions.

You will submit a two-page final report at the end of the grant period.

This program is for new, original research or creative projects only. Projects where you are simply being a research assistant on a faculty project are not appropriate for this program.

Grants cannot be applied retroactively to cover expenses for research already completed.

The money may not be used toward tuition, program fees, or expenses normally incurred during regular coursework. Grants may not be used for the purchase of “durable equipment” over $100 (such as cameras or lab equipment) or for the purchase of books or other materials available from libraries.

You have to complete your project by the end of the academic year in which it was awarded.

Many students conduct their projects over winter break or spring break. Doing your project during a quarter or over the entire academic year is fine too.

Students receive notification of award approximately two weeks after the deadline.

Conduct your research project wherever you like: on campus or almost anywhere around the country or the world!

When you apply, you can request extra money (half your airfare) for international projects.

Read up on international projects for important travel restriction information.

Your research grant proposal will be evaluated by a faculty review committee. The committee looks for quality projects, and they can award as many grants as they want. We call this a merit-based, non-competitive process.

Students receive notification of award approximately two weeks after the deadline.

Applicants who are unsuccessful on their first attempt may be invited to revise their proposals and re-apply at another deadline. Apply early in the year if you can!

Group projects are allowed. Each additional member of a group provides you with an additional page to your proposal.  For example, a two person group is allowed a three page proposal.  You will need to explain why this project needs to be done with multiple people. Group members collaborate to create a single grant proposal that clearly articulates the different roles, responsibilities, and qualifications of each member.  Each group member submits the same proposal, and each is eligible for a $1000 grant. We recommend that all groups work with an Office of Undergraduate Research advisor.

Faculty members can help you explore your research interests and develop a good project. You will identify a faculty sponsor/advisor, and this person will help you develop your application materials and oversee your project if you are awarded the grant. It is expected that the faculty will help you develop your project methodology and help you with determining the correct literature to review for the proposal/project development. See Finding a Faculty.

See also: Info for Faculty.

Your faculty sponsor/advisor must submit an online endorsement of your research grant proposal within 24 hours after the application deadline. Unendorsed projects will not be considered. Make sure you have given your faculty sponsor enough warning of the deadline, that you have discussed your project with them ahead of time, and that they have a copy of your final proposal draft. Do not leave it to the day before to ask someone to give you an endorsement!

If your application is successful and your project is funded, your faculty sponsor/advisor is required to approve the two-page final report which you will submit after your project is done.